That time of year again, when I look back at how things went in the last year, and then look ahead to what is coming up in the new year. Today, I will focus on the past:

They year started off well with a victory for Obama in Iowa, Sketchfest, and starting work with my friend Laura on a video editing project. I had just come off a confusing time in the previous Nov-Dec, and was energized with a good dedication to getting things done.

Worked with Andrew Felper, Laura Bell, Chris DeRose, and a great cast to get the first We Get To Be Canadians show up off the ground in March. That was very educational to see what it takes to put a show on. A lot of good people came together and put in a lot of hard work for what turned out to be a successful run.

Virginia joined me up in Chicago in April. I am glad that she was able to come up for the last couple of months of her pregnancy. It was a stressful time, but I think that it went well.

I worked on a really great project when I produced the Golden Apple Central Illinois awards show. I really loved the people involved and was so impressed by their dedication to such a worthwhile organization. Education is such an important part of our future, I wish that there was more attention being paid to getting better resources for our teachers and students. This was the first of the awards shows downstate, and I think that it turned out nicely. Virginia’s due date was the day after the awards show, so I was a little worried about being out of town but it all worked out.

Met some really good people in our prenatal class. Virginia still keeps in touch with some of them. I was totally new to the birth experience and felt like I really learned a lot in class. Mary our teacher was a big proponent of natural child birth, which was an important thing to Virginia. If it were up to me, I would have gone with lots, and lots of drugs. Ha.

Wonderful little Joy came just a couple of days after I got back from the Golden Apple awards. Virginia was great all day. I was so proud of how well she did with delivery. Our midwife, Maureen and two Doulas (Jen and Eusebia) were amazing. I am so glad that Virginia was able to come up to Chicago and have those great people involved. I’ll write more about Joy in another post.

Another important thing from the year was Second City. I learned a lot about writing sketches. I will always remember you first writing teacher, Andy Miara. I learned to love writing again after his class. I also made a lot of good friends. Already mentioned, Felper, Laura, and Chris from the Canadians show, but also really enjoyed getting to know Ped, Jud, Doug Jones, Maria and Morgan. I guess the big thing for me was how much I enjoyed improv. I think that can be attributed to having some great teachers, Andy Eninger, Judy Fabjance (get well), Craig Uhlir, and Jackie Stone. Andy and Judy were gently and loving to get us started, Craig kicked us in the ass to get us better, and Jackie brought in the finishing touches to bring a whole show together. Our end of class improv shows were very fun. I was really lucky to be working with such a great group of people. Some where top notch, could go on to be great types, but I think what made it so fun was that even those of us who weren’t the best could still pull together and add to a scene. It was like playing up there. I was a kid again, if just for a little while. Let’s not forget music improv. I actually sang. I don’t know if I will ever be paid to do that, but it was fun.

Then another of the big changes in my life was getting the job working in Doha, Qatar. I have only been here a few months, but I am truly loving it. I get to work with amazing equipment, the faculty is great, the students are wonderful, and am liking my boss and co-workers. It is also giving me a chance to expand my knowledge of equipment. First, I was learning about digital cinema style shooting, then building a TV and radio studio, and now I am learning the ways of Journalism. There is so much to learn. I haven’t felt this excited about work since I first started at WILL.

Leaving WILL and moving to Chicago was my big change for 2007, but I have topped that in the biggest year of changes so far in my life in 2008. Living in a different country, comedy, good friends, and becoming a papa. Not a bad year at all. Don’t know if 2009 will bring as many changes, but I think that it will continue the arc of growth in my life.

I had a good year, and hope you all did, too. Thanks everyone for reading the blog.